Siemens Mobility has been granted the contract to supply seven hydrogen powered trains for a line in the Berlin-Brandenburg region of Germany.
This is the first order of a hydrogen fleet for Siemens Mobility a will be second generation Mireo Plus H trains. The two-car trains will be powered with a fuel-cell drive system and lithium-ion batteries swapping over from the current diesel-powered train. The new trains are due for delivery in autumn 2024 and will be ready to enters service by the end of 2024.
The order was placed by the regional transport company Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB) but funding is coming from a pilot project funded by the German federal government and the states of Berlin and Brandenburg. The project is for setting up sustainable hydrogen infrastructure across Germany, including hybrid power plants.
All trains on the Heidekrautbahn network (RB27) will be exclusively powered by green energy. Studies suggest by switching out all diesel trains on RB27 and replacing them with hydrogen powered trains will reduce the Heidekrautbahn’s CO2 emission by 3 million tonnes annually.
Detlef Bröcker, CEO Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn, commented “The highly innovative hydrogen-powered trains are not only environmentally friendly, but also provide modern equipment and features tailored to the needs of our passengers. Moreover, the manufacturer’s direct involvement in maintaining the trains will ensure a high level of security regarding train availability. We want to actively support the energy and transportation transition and make local public transport for commuter service and tourism more attractive.”
The Mireo Plus H trains can achieve 1.1m/s² of acceleration and a top speed of 100mph (160km/h). Siemens claims the trins can also be refuelled in just 20 minutes.
